Comparative efficacy and safety of roxithromycin and clarithromycin in upper respiratory tract infections.

Roxithromycin 300 mg once daily was compared with clarithromycin 250 mg b.i.d. in an open randomized trial in 200 patients with upper respiratory tract infection: sinusitis, pharyngotonsillitis, and otitis media. Average treatment duration was 9 days. Roxithromycin was more effective (p less than 0.01) particularly in otitis media and pharyngotonsillitis, and better tolerated (only 4% side effects, p less than 0.05).